Definitions of terms relevant to future studies
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Artificial Intelligence (AI): the embodiment in machines of mechanisms providing for thought and intelligent behavior MORE
Big Bang: how our universe began; modern science has shown that 13.7 billion years ago, the entire physical universe, all the matter and energy and even the four dimensions of time and space, burst forth from a state of infinite or near infinite density, temperature, and pressure MORE
Biosphere: the part of the Earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life
Biotechnology, Bioengineering: a set of biological techniques developed through basic research and now applied to research and product development; refers to the use by industry of recombinant DNA, cell fusion, and new bioprocessing techniques for engineering organisms MORE
Black Goo: the potential extinction scenario resulting from a deliberately inflicted nanotechnological disaster; a sub-type of Gray Goo MORE
Buckyball: the common name for buckminsterfullerene (C60), a hollow cage carbon molecule nicknamed for Buckminster Fuller because of the resemblance of its molecular structure to his geodesic domes; scientists envision using these unique molecules as "delivery vans" within the human bloodstream for various substances MORE AND STILL MORE
Cloning: the use of genetic engineering techniques to produce either lines of identical looking and acting cells or genetically identical animals or plants MORE
Is human cloning moral? See Human Reproductive Cloning from the Perspective of the Future
Computer: a device capable of performing a series of arithmetic or logical operations; distinguished from a calculating machine by being able to store a computer program (so that it can repeat its operations and make logical decisions), by the number and complexity of the operations it can perform, and by its ability to process, store, and retrieve data without human intervention
Congenital: conditions or traits acquired either at birth or during development in the uterus; not part of a human’s normal genetic makeup (contrast with genetic disease); examples include Down syndrome, spina bifida, and cerebral palsy; theoretically preventable through the application of advanced technologies
Cosmology: the study of the origin, current state, and future of our universe MORE
Creationism, Intelligent Design Creationism: the term "creationism" covers a wide range of beliefs, although in the Western world it is largely dominated by conservative Christians; broadly speaking, creationists believe that God or a supernatural power is the ultimate source of all being and that science alone can never explain the origins of the universe, life, and humankind; Intelligent Design Creationism is often used as an umbrella anti-evolution position under which creationists of all flavors may unite in an attack on scientific methodology in general MORE
Cryonic Suspension: an experimental procedure whereby patients who can no longer be kept alive with today's medical abilities are preserved at low temperatures for treatment in the future MORE
Cybernetics: the science or study of communication and control mechanisms in human and machine systems, including computers
Cyborg: a shorthand term for "cybernetic organism"; original usage—a human being with bodily functions aided or controlled by technological devices, such as an oxygen tank, artificial heart valve or insulin pump; current usage—an organism with conscious or autonomic control over replaced or enhanced electronic or mechanical parts of their body MORE ALSO
Dystopia: an imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror; the opposite of Utopia
Emerging Technologies: refers to fields such as molecular computing, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, wireless communications, virtual reality, human brain reverse engineering, robotics, space colonization, and others (some still undiscovered) that have great potential but are still in relatively early stages of development
Enhancement: in this context, refers to ways in which human intellect, senses, emotions, or physical capabilities may be improved through the use of scientific or technological applications
Eugenics: refers, in common usage, to the pre-WWII movement in Europe and the United States to involuntarily sterilize and even euthanize the "genetically unfit" by governmental decree backed by the threat of force; such ideas are entirely contrary to the tolerant, humanist, and scientific tenets of transhumanism
Existentialism: a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, and that stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts MORE
Exponential: an increase characterized by growth through multiplication instead of addition, which would be "linear" growth;
5 + 5 + 5 = 15 is linear growth,
5 x 5 x 5 = 125 is exponential growth
Extropy [my personal definition]: the observed propensity of life to seek, to grow, to expand, to push the boundaries outward and upward; the observed tendency of matter in open systems to find increasing orders of design, complexity, and intelligence MORE
Gene Therapy: an approach to treating disease by either modifying the expressions of an individual’s genes or correcting abnormal genes; many different diseases, including cystic fibrosis, cardiovascular disease and infectious diseases such as AIDS and cancer may be candidates for treatment by gene therapy through the administration of DNA rather than drugs MORE
Genetic Disease: inborn errors of metabolism in an individual resulting from alterations in the the DNA sequence that no longer allows for the correct encoding of a functional molecule at the end of the information flow (contrast with congenital defects); examples include asthma, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease, and sickle cell anemia; theoretically preventable through the application of advanced technologies MORE
Genetic Engineering: the artificial alteration of genetic code; commonly refers to recombinant DNA technology used for cloning and for creation of new living organisms; practiced throughout human history by means of selective breeding MORE
Genomics: the study of sets of chromosomes (genomes) and the genes they contain, and how the genes guide development and protein synthesis MORE
Gray Goo: a potential extinction scenario; the ghastly result of a major nanotechnological accident, or even an unspeakable act of malice (sometimes called Black Goo) MORE
Healthspan: refers to the extent of years within an average human life during which good health and a full range of activities can expect to be enjoyed (also see life-extension) MORE
Human Genome: all the DNA in the human body, including the genes, which carry information for making all the proteins that determine, among other things, how an individual looks, how well the body metabolizes food or fights infection, and sometimes even behavior MORE
Humanism: the viewpoint that people have but one life to lead and should make the most of it in terms of creative work and happiness; that human happiness is its own justification and requires no sanction or support from supernatural sources; that in any case the supernatural, usually conceived of in the form of heavenly gods or immortal heavens, does not exist; and that human beings, using their own intelligence and cooperating liberally with one another, can build an enduring citadel of peace and beauty upon the earth MORE
Humanist: a believer in the principles of humanism; a person having a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity
Immortality: a healthy and robust human lifespan of indefinite length (barring externally-caused destruction) achieved through thorough control and reversal of all significant aging processes MORE
Implants: the introduction of artificial devices into the human body (often, but not always, through surgery) to permanently enhance an individual human's intellect, senses, emotions, or physical capabilities MORE
Incipient: of, relating to, or occurring at the start of something; beginning, inceptive, initial, initiatory, introductory, leadoff
Infrared (IR): part of the electromagnetic spectrum beyond the normal range of human vision; some animals, such as rattlesnakes, can see in this wavelength MORE
Inner Space: a theoretical virtual reality world in which countless posthumans may choose to live; a nearly limitless environment (in both size and character) existing on a massively powerful, super fast, superintelligent computer network MORE
Intelligent Global Network (IGN): a fictional (but quite possible) invention for this website; a linking of high speed computers over a fiber optic network, containing a knowledge base greater than all the libraries of the world, with virtually instantaneous access to real-time real-world data, capable of parallel processing at rates a million times faster than the human brain, managed by an overlay network of superintelligent AI
Interfaces: in this context, the direct connection between computer brains and human brains, expanding our memory, resources, and reasoning, improving the depth, breadth, and speed of our thinking, feeling, and reacting
Life-extension: medical, pharmacological, biotechnological, nanotechnological, dietary, and lifestyle advances that will allow for a much longer, possibly limitless healthspan in which humans can enjoy robust health and physical fitness (not simply an increase in the number of years that we experience aging) MORE
Luddite (Luddism): a person (movement) opposed to the introduction of new technologies; a technophobe MORE
Meme: A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another
Metacognition: the act of thinking about one's own thinking; a metacognitive being is self-aware, conscious of its consciousness MORE
Molecular Manufacturing: a branch of engineering that deals with the design and manufacture of extremely small (measured in nanometers) electronic circuits and mechanical devices built at the molecular level of matter; a component of nanotechnology MORE
Molecular Computing: ultrasmall, ultradense electronic computer technology, using individual molecules to conduct and switch electric current and store information; a product of nanotechnology MORE
Moore's Law: Gordon Moore (co-founder of Intel) predicted in 1965 that the transistor density of semiconductor chips would double roughly every 18 months; his prediction has proven remarkably accurate, although today (in 2003) some observers say the doubling time is getting down to as little as 12 months MORE
Nanometer: a unit of spatial measurement that is 10-9 meter, or one billionth of a meter
Nanobot: a robot of microscopic proportions, built by means of nanotechnology; sometimes called a "nanoagent"
Nanocomputer: a computer of microscopic proportions, built by means of nanotechnology MORE
Nanomedicine: the application of nanotechnology to the prevention and treatment of disease in the human body MORE
Nanotechnology: thorough, inexpensive control of the structure of matter based on molecule-by-molecule control of products and byproducts of molecular manufacturing MORE
Personality: the patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion unique to an individual
Philosophy: the study of the ultimate reality, causes, and principles underlying being and thinking
Physics: the scientific study of matter, energy, and the relation between them
Polymath: a person of great curiosity and widely varied learning MORE
Posthuman: a person of unprecedented physical, intellectual, and psychological capacity; a self-programming, self-constituting, potentially immortal individual; a person who no longer can be classified usefully with Homo sapiens as the result of fundamental and sweeping modifications to inherited genetics, physiology, neurophysiology and neurochemistry MORE
Psychology: the scientific study of the thought processes and behavior of humans and other animals in their interaction with the environment
Quantum Computing: a fundamentally new mode of information processing (still in development) that can be performed only by harnessing physical phenomena unique to quantum mechanics (especially quantum interference), with performance potentially billions of times faster than today's most powerful supercomputers MORE
Reactionary: An opponent of progress; an extreme conservative; one who clings to obsolete ideas
Reverse Engineering: taking apart an object to see how it works in order to duplicate or enhance the object; frequently used on computer hardware and software; current research projects non-invasive reverse engineering to achieve a complete understanding of the structure and function of the human brain by around 2020 MORE
Robot: a mechanical device (that may or may not resemble a human being) capable of performing a variety of often complex human tasks on command or by being programmed in advance
Robotics: a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture, and operation of robots; the field overlaps with electronics, computer science, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and bioengineering MORE
Science: the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena; the organized body of knowledge concerning the physical world; the rational attitudes and methods through which this body of knowledge is formed
Scientific: characterized by the pursuit of a systematic ideational structure of broad scope, conceived by the human imagination, that encompasses a family of empirical laws regarding regularities existing in objects and events, both observed and posited
Self-constituting: able to be in thorough control of one's personal destiny; not subject to any physical, biological, neurological, mental, or emotional deficiencies or limitations (outside of catastrophic annihilation) MORE
Self-programming: able to be in thorough control of one's personal definition, including physical shape, size, appearance and location; able to predefine one's environment, experiences, and sensations, insofar as desired MORE
Sentient Rights: the application of universal human rights to the entire class of sentient beings, including humans, AIs, transhumans, posthumans, and possibly some terrestrial animals, such as dolphins and whales
Simulation: a virtual world created on a future supercomputer, so detailed and dense as to be indistinguishable from conventional reality MORE
Singularity: the postulated point or short period in the near future when scientific, technological, and societal change accelerate so rapidly that nothing beyond that time can reliably be conceived MORE
Supercomputer: any computer that is one of the largest, fastest, and most powerful available at a given time MORE
Superintelligence (SI): an intellect that is much smarter than the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills MORE
Sustainable: ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane
Technology, Technological: the application of science, especially to industrial or commercial objectives
Technophobe: a person with a fear of or aversion to technology, especially computers and high technology; a Luddite
Telecommunications: the science and technology of communication at a distance by electronic transmission of impulses, as by telegraph, cable, telephone, cellular, satellite, radio, or television
Transhuman: a shorthand term used to refer to a "transitional human", meaning one who is taking steps towards becoming a posthuman
Transhumanism: an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and evaluating the ramifications, promises and potential dangers of the use of science, technology, creativity, and other means to overcome human biological limitations; the intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally altering the human condition through applied reason, especially by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, psychological and emotional capacities MORE
Transhumanist: a person who identifies with and supports the views and activities of transhumanism; persons who seek to expand technological opportunities for humans to live longer and healthier lives and to enhance their intellectual, physical, psychological and emotional capacities
Turing Test: a method, originally conceived by mathematical theorist Alan Turing, of determining if a computer has achieved human level intelligence; in the basic test, a human judge sits at a computer terminal and interacts with the subject by written communication only...the judge must then decide if the subject on the other end of the computer link is a human or an AI program imitating a human; Turing argued that if the interrogator could not detect the difference more than 70% of the time, then it would be unreasonable not to call the computer intelligent MORE
Ultraviolet (UV): part of the electromagnetic spectrum beyond the normal range of human vision; some animals, such as birds, can see in this wavelength MORE
Universe: the total sum of all that exists; the physical system that encompasses all known space, matter, and energy, either existing now, having existed in the past, or postulated to exist in the future
Uplift: in the context of this website, the act of lifting humans into a posthuman condition through the application of emerging technologies MORE
Upload: to transfer the consciousness and mental structure of a person from a biological matrix to an electronic or informational matrix (a supercomputer) MORE
Utopia: an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects; the opposite of Dystopia
Virtual Reality (VR): sometimes called "derived reality"; a paradigm that allows an observer to act in synthetic, computer generated worlds representative of either real or imagined environments; in contrast to conventional visualization systems, the user may become an active part of the scene; advanced virtual reality will be indistinguishable from conventional reality MORE
